Fort Clatsop

January 24, 1806

"the most valuable of all their roots is foreign to this neighbourhood  I mean the Wappetoe, or the bulb of the Sagitifolia or common arrow head, which grows in great abundance in the marshey grounds of that beatifull and firtile valley on the Columbia commencing just above the entrance of Quicksand River*, and extending downwards for about 70 miles.  the bulb forms a principal article of traffic between the inhabitants of the valley and those of this neighbourhood or sea coast."

Quicksand River* - Sandy River, joining the Columbia in Multnomah County, Oregon, approximately 120 miles from the ocean.

January 25, 1806

"the natives fruits and buries in uce among the Indians of this neighbourhood are a deep purple burry about the size of a small cherry called by them Shal-lun*, a small pale red bury called Sol'-me**, the vining or low Crambury***, a light brown bury****, reather larger and much the shape of the black haw; and a scarlet bury about the size of a small cherry the plant called by the Canadian Engages of the NW sac a commis***** produces this bury; this place is so called from the circumstances of the Clerks of those trading companies arrying the leaves of this plant in a small bag for the purpose of smokeing of which they are excessively fond."

Shal-lun*- Salal
Sol'-me**- Bunchberry
Crambury*** - Wild cranberry
light brown bury**** - Oregon crabapple
sac a commis***** -  Bearberry

January 26, 1806

"Werner and Howard who were sent for salt on the 23rd have not yet returned, we are apprehensive that they have missed their way; neither of them are very good woosdsmen, and this thick heavy timbered pine country added to the constant cloudy weather makes it difficult for even a good woodsman to steer for any considerable distance the course he wishes."

January 27, 1806

" snow about 9 inches deep. Where the sun shone on it during the day, a considerable quantity of it melted; but these places were few, as the whole face of the country near this I closely covered with fir timber."

January 28, 1806

"about noon Howard and Werner returned with a supply of salt; the badness of the weather and the difficulty of the road had caused their delay.  they inform us that the salt makers are sill much straitened for provision, having killed two deer only in the last six days; and that there are no Elk in their neighbourhood.... "

January 29, 1806

"Nothing worthy of notice occured today.  our fare is the flesh of lean elk boiled with pure water, and a little salt.  the whale blubber which we have used very sparingly is now exhausted.  on this food I do not feel strong, but enjoy the most perfect health; a keen appetite supplys in a great degree the want of more luxurious sauses or dishes, and still render my ordinary meals not uninteresting to me, for I find myself sometimes enquiring of the cook whether dinner or breakfast is ready."  Lewis 

January 30, 1806

"The dress of the Clatsops... they wear a hat of a conic figure with a brim confined on the head by means of a string which passes under the chin and is attatched to the two opsite sides of a secondary rim within the hat.  the hat at top terminates in a pointed knob of a connic form also... these hats are made of the bark of cedar and beargrass wrought with the fingers so closely that is casts the rain most effectually in the shape which they give them for their own uce or that just discribed.  on these hats they work various figures of differnet colours, but most commonly only black and white are emplooyed.  these figures are faint representations of whales the cones and the harpoonneers striking them."